Basics are not the boring also-rans of our closets, but rather the very foundation of everything else we wear.

Regarding basics: There seems to have been some confusion. Basics are not, as a generation of us has been conditioned to think, the boring also-rans of our closets, buyable in bulk from the local big box, but rather the very foundation—the literal and spiritual basis—of everything else we wear. And when we skimp on basics, or we settle for basics that privilege impact over integrity, it doesn't much matter what else we're wearing.

This goes double for the casual basics that form the typical weekend uniform—the chinos or jeans that fit just right; the crisp cotton shirt (collared and non); and a deconstructed blazer that dresses up or down. These basics, built with care and built to last, are the bedrocks of Saturday style, and worn in simple combinations, they're the surest way to look the way you want.